Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goulburn and Elk

For one person, living is cheaper in Elk: $1,226 a month against $2,331 in Goulburn, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Goulburn
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,331
/mo nomad
Elk
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,226
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Goulburn and in Elk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Goulburn and in Elk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,331 per month in Goulburn vs $1,226 in Elk, rent included.

  • Goulburn $2,331
  • Elk $1,226

A couple spends around $3,409 per month in Goulburn vs $1,872 in Elk, rent included.

  • Goulburn $3,409
  • Elk $1,872

A family of three spends $4,488 per month in Goulburn vs $2,518 in Elk, rent included.

  • Goulburn $4,488
  • Elk $2,518

Goulburn costs about 90% more than Elk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Goulburn sits 72% above the global median, while Elk is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Goulburn
Elk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.74 A$25.52
$8.82 zł 34.29
101.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.3 A$130
$41.61 zł 162
116.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.17 A$11.75
$7.78 zł 30.22
5.01%
Cappuccino
$3.11 A$4.48
$3.13 zł 12.17
-0.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 A$4.10
$2.06 zł 8.01
38.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 A$3.14
$1.62 zł 6.28
34.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.71 A$11.10
$2.55 zł 9.90
202.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 A$10.21
$3.83 zł 14.87
85.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Goulburn
Elk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 A$1.41
$0.91 zł 3.55
7.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.76 A$2.54
$1.27 zł 4.92
38.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 A$3.18
$1.56 zł 6.08
41.67%
Eggs
$5.10 A$7.34
$2.52 zł 9.79
102.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 A$16.94
$4.66 zł 18.09
152.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.27 A$13.34
$6.05 zł 23.52
53.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.82 A$24.20
$14.16 zł 55.0
18.79%
Apples (1kg)
$3.13 A$4.51
$1.09 zł 4.23
187.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 A$2.46
$1.65 zł 6.42
3.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 A$2.55
$1.51 zł 5.86
17.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.50 A$5.04
$3.20 zł 12.44
9.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.41 A$3.46
$0.92 zł 3.56
161.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.29 A$1.86
$1.44 zł 5.60
-10.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 A$1.94
$1.46 zł 5.67
-7.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 A$1.47
$0.53 zł 2.05
92.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$45.04 A$64.8
$4.66 zł 18.12
866.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.20 A$11.80
$7.18 zł 27.88
14.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.94 A$5.67
$1.25 zł 4.87
215.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94 A$5.68
$1.25 zł 4.86
215.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Goulburn
Elk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.95 A$4.24
$0.69 zł 2.68
327.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 A$114
$21.61 zł 84.0
265.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.84 A$4.09
$2.08 zł 8.08
36.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.62 A$2.32
$0.49 zł 1.91
230.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.71 A$57.2
$6.23 zł 24.20
537.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 A$2.10
$1.59 zł 6.20
-8.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2K A$42.0K
$30.9K zł 120.1K
-5.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.6K A$42.6K
$26.9K zł 104.4K
10.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Goulburn
Elk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 A$148
$183 zł 712
-44.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.05 A$38.93
$6.73 zł 26.17
301.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.9 A$80.4
$13.95 zł 54.2
300.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Goulburn
Elk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.1 A$79.3
$29.01 zł 113
89.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.54 A$25.23
$36.09 zł 140
-51.40%
Cinema Ticket
$8.44 A$12.15
$6.46 zł 25.10
30.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Goulburn
Elk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,156 A$3,103
$294 zł 1,142
633.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.9K A$41.6K
$5,101 zł 19.8K
467.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Goulburn
Elk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.7 A$115
$85.3 zł 331
-6.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.8 A$100
$25.46 zł 98.9
174.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 A$158
$84.1 zł 327
30.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 A$191
$115 zł 446
15.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Goulburn
Elk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,383 A$1,990
$534 zł 2,075
158.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 A$1,738
$442 zł 1,718
173.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,127 A$3,061
$932 zł 3,620
128.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,788 A$2,573
$803 zł 3,118
122.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,704 A$8,208
$2,161 zł 8,397
163.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,911 A$7,067
$1,938 zł 7,530
153.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Goulburn
Elk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,014 A$5,777
$1,245 zł 4,839
222.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
6.21
-5.96%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Goulburn: October 19, 2026

Last update for Elk: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Goulburn
$1.2K
Elk
$442 63.4% $765
Groceries & Markets
Goulburn
$311
Elk
$203 34.6% $108
Eating Out
Goulburn
$277
Elk
$167 39.8% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Goulburn
$186
Elk
$204 9.9% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Goulburn
$176
Elk
$139 21% $37
Getting Around
Goulburn
$102
Elk
$29 71.6% $73
Sport & Entertainment
Goulburn
$72
Elk
$42 41.7% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,383 in Goulburn versus $534 in Elk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 222% higher in Goulburn, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Goulburn versus $42.00 in Elk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $311 vs $203 – making Elk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Goulburn
🇵🇱 Elk
🕒 Local time
04:49 4:49 AM
19:49 7:49 PM
9 h behind Goulburn
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
23,963
61,782
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Goulburn Elk 15,450 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Goulburn
  • Elk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Goulburn vs Elk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elk cheaper than Goulburn?
Yes – Goulburn is pricier by about 90%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,496 per month in Goulburn and $1,839 in Elk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Elk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Goulburn and in Elk?
Groceries cost about 53% more in Goulburn, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Goulburn or in Elk?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Goulburn and $42.00 in Elk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Goulburn or in Elk?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elk, where all-in costs run around $1,226, than in Goulburn at $2,331. In Elk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Goulburn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Goulburn or Elk more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Elk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Goulburn or Elk?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Elk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Goulburn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Goulburn vs other spots: cost of living compared

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